Stuttering Audio on New 14" MacBook Pro M3 Max

[Ambrosia7177]

Hi. I have a brand new 14" MacBook Pro, M3 Max, 96GB RAM, 4TB SSD running Sonoma 14.6.1

Bought it last month, and just started (partially) using it last week.

While watching YouTube, I have had a couple of times where the audio started to STUTTER bad enough that I could not finish watching the video.

This happens in BOTH Firefox and Chrome - both of which are up-to-date.

I tried the obvious, like re-starting Firefox or re-booting my Mac.

No luck.

This also happened after I downloaded the video from YouTube and tried watching it that way. Issue occurs in Preview, QuickTIme, and VLC.

Apparently a lot of people on the Internet are having similar issues, however I don't see any solutions to the issue.

I pray this is just some annoying hardware driver or software issue, and not indicative that I own a $7,000 brick?!



Questions:
1.) Does anyone know about this issue?

2.) If so, WHAT is causing this issue?

3.) Most importantly, HOW do I fix it?


To be clear, this problem does NOT always happen, and even more peculiar, it seems to happen with CERTAIN YouTube videos - although when I have went back the next day, said problematic videos DID play correctly.

So this is NOT a source issue - it is an issue with my brand new MBP...

 

[russell_314]

Is it just the audio that stuttering or possibly the video too?

Only on YouTube or does other audio stutter?

How many videos have you had this problem with? Is it just one or two or whole bunch?

My first guest would be some weird intermittent Internet connection problem. Perhaps try to see if it does the same thing on a different network? If you can re-create the problem, I would take it into the Apple Store and have them look at it.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Is it just the audio that stuttering or possibly the video too?

The video doesn't appear to stutter, but I can see people's lips are out of synch with the audio.

Only on YouTube or does other audio stutter?

I thought that I had also downloaded the video (e.g. using ClipGrab or 4K Video Downloader) and after it was downloaded the same issue happened, but I apparently closed the browser tab in frustration, and can't find the suspect video file - if there was one.

How many videos have you had this problem with? Is it just one or two or whole bunch?

Maybe 5%.

I spend a good part of my day downloading news videos onto my MBP. Sometimes I preview videos first, or maybe I just watch them and don't download them.

Two nights ago I seemed to be having this problem on a handful of videos.

My first guest would be some weird intermittent Internet connection problem. Perhaps try to see if it does the same thing on a different network?

Has happened at the library and using my hotspot.

If you can re-create the problem, I would take it into the Apple Store and have them look at it.

So far I cannot re-create it.

 

[BrianBaughn]

How are you downloading the videos from YouTube? Is is a browser extension? If yes, what happens with videos in YouTube if you disable it?

I have such an extension but keep it disabled until needed because I noticed some oddness in Firefox when it was active.

 

[Sptzz]

See this thread I created as well, also having the same issue, probably not as grave as yours. I recorded an example as well

Crackling / Skipping / Stuttering Audio on MBP M3 | MacRumors Forums

 

[Ambrosia7177]

How are you downloading the videos from YouTube? Is is a browser extension? If yes, what happens with videos in YouTube if you disable it?

I have such an extension but keep it disabled until needed because I noticed some oddness in Firefox when it was active.

As mentioned above, I use either the ClipGrab app or the 4K Video Downloader app.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

See this thread I created as well, also having the same issue, probably not as grave as yours. I recorded an example as well

Crackling / Skipping / Stuttering Audio on MBP M3 | MacRumors Forums

THAT is the problem I am having as well.

It happens intermittently, but when it happens nothing fixes it.

I have 96GB of RAM.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Since this isn't affecting everyone there must be something about your particular setup.

How is your audio routed (USB device, Bluetooth)?

Have you tried changing any browser settings…such as Firefox>Preferences>General>Performance or Chrome>Settings>System>Use graphics acceleration when available?

 

[Ambrosia7177]

(Sorry, didn't get a notification of your message.)

Since this isn't affecting everyone there must be something about your particular setup.

How is your audio routed (USB device, Bluetooth)?

USB headset. Specifically, a Logitech H340 USB Headset with a USB-A (male) end plugged into my Apple USB-A (female) to USB-C (male) adapter into my MacBook Pro M3 Max.

Have you tried changing any browser settings…such as Firefox>Preferences>General>Performance or Chrome>Settings>System>Use graphics acceleration when available?

In Firefox, I have Preferences > General > Performance > Use recommended performance settings = ON

In Chrome, I have Preferences > System > Use graphics acceleration when available = ON

 

[BrianBaughn]

Same issue through the MBP's speakers?

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Same issue through the MBP's speakers?

The next time it happens, I will have to check.


What about what @Sptzz says above in his/her thread? The videos posted in that thread mimic what randomly is happening to me.

 

[mi7chy]

This goes back to M1 so not a new issue but not everyone is affected so unknown if software/services or hardware. Backup your data, create MacOS USB installer, erase and clean reinstall MacOS then don't sign in or enable any services such as iCloud, Siri, etc. and see if the issue goes away.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

This goes back to M1 so not a new issue but not everyone is affected so unknown if software/services or hardware. Backup your data, create MacOS USB installer, erase and clean reinstall MacOS then don't sign in or enable any services such as iCloud, Siri, etc. and see if the issue goes away.

Could I have a bad laptop?

 

[mi7chy]

Could I have a bad laptop?

Go through the exercise to first rule out software/services causing the issue. I never had the issue while others did but I didn't sign into those services.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Go through the exercise to first rule out software/services causing the issue. I never had the issue while others did but I didn't sign into those services.

That's a pretty tough pill to swallow on a machine that is only 60 days old...

I don't use online services, but thanks to Apple's 1984 Big Brother state, I am forced to log into iCloud when I need to sign in to my AppleID. (And I was logged in when this happened.)

Even though I use Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC), having to rebuild my machine is something I don't have time to do right now.

I guess I'll just keep an eye on things and see what happens...